Tips to Avoid Deer Accidents on the Road

The months of October, November and December are when most vehicle collisions with deer take place. Deer are more active during these months because it is their breeding season. Though not always avoidable, there are some steps you can take to avoid hitting a deer.

Claims data from a large insurance company showed 2.3 million collisions occurred in the United States between 2008 and 2010. The insurer created a map of the country showing the risk of hitting a deer for each state, according to their own data. States like Michigan, West Virginia, and Iowa have some of the highest risks for deer collisions.

The first thing to do to reduce your risk of a deer collision is to do some online research about your area, or the places you normally drive and see if there are deer populations in those places. If you were aware of deer populations near your typical commute or other driving routes, you may want to consider choosing roads further away from deer concentrations if possible.

In the fall, with daylight savings time, commuters are likely to spend more time driving in darkness in the evenings and early morning, and that is prime deer activity time. So if you drive during those times, you may want to consider taking different roads if there are deer around — this includes trying to avoid roads through heavily forested areas, or with brush close to the road side.

If you can’t drive on different roads, simply lowering your speed while driving in areas with deer can give you more reaction time if you suddenly experience a deer right in front of your moving vehicle. Also going slower provides more reaction time for deer to move away from cars.

Honking at deer could scare them away if you see them on the side of the road ahead of you. Use the high beam headlights when there is no oncoming traffic, as they reach further down the road ahead of you, so you can see if the way is clear or not.

Hitting a deer while driving can cause significant damage to a vehicle and to its occupants. While rarely fatal, such accidents can cause roll-overs, and the striking of other objects such as telephone poles, trees, and fences when a driver is trying to avoid a deer, or after the collision due to panic, or obscured vision if the animal hits a windshield.

Paying attention to Deer Crossing signs is important because deer tend to use the same paths when they are looking for food or places to sleep during their normal daily movements. If you see one deer, there are probably others nearby because they travel in small groups.

If you suddenly see a deer and can’t avoid it, it is actually probably better to hit it, than swerving into another lane where you could hit another car, or hit a larger object like a tree or telephone pole. If you swerve suddenly to avoid a deer you might also lose control of your car. Hitting an animal with a car is a very unpleasant experience, but it is likely to be safer than making a heroic effort to avoid it and hitting something else.

Image Credit: Courtesy of Gene Oleynik / fnal.gov

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Elaine A.

3:06PM PDT on Apr 18, 2012

OMG! The first time I saw a dead deer off the side of the road when I moved to Chicago, I was like "OH GOD" that's like seeing a human being dead off the side of the road. It was so foreign to this California girl where you are lucky beyond measure to see a deer, even in the mountains. I live right next to a forest preserve and we see deer all the time and I just love it. I would die of a broken heart if I ever hit one but sure have been lucky as I have seen them dart out of the shrubbery and dash across the road, just never right in front of me and pray that never happens!

send a green star

colleen p.

2:07PM PDT on Apr 18, 2012

Lydia P. shhhhhhhhh

let people believe it's because folks speed 30 times over a speed limmit, take away all their homes and aim for them while they are running from a shot gun at 11 pm.

not that you can't get flanked by a doe at 5 am in winter.

and it's called "live in the city"

when you have love and compassion. you cannot think right.

nobody wins.

Lydia P.

2:00PM PDT on Apr 18, 2012

Deer are pretty hard to avoid in some areas. You have major roads going through forest preserves and others going through corn fields. Idiots behind you push you to maintain speed even in fog. If you don't, the car behind you will hit you. But, we would never hit any animal on purpose. Taking a life is never something to be taken lightly. We anticipate deer always. More people hit them while talking to other passengers or while on their phone than any other drivers. Be aware.

Brenda T.

10:12AM PDT on Apr 18, 2012

Thankyou for the advice.

Donna H.

6:33AM PDT on Apr 18, 2012

Thanks for the tips.

Joe R.

4:39PM PDT on Apr 17, 2012

Thanks.

Kye J.

1:59AM PST on Jan 24, 2012

I steer to avoid animals where it is safe.I live in Australia where kangaroos hop out in front of cars on the rural regional areas and I most certainly would never not steer away unless another car is coming.It is not right to deliberately steer and hit an animal if this can be avoided

paula e.

1:37AM PST on Jan 24, 2012

This would not be happening as much if humans would let them have a place to live. Stop human sprawl.

Mary L.

10:09AM PST on Dec 8, 2011

Good article. Mom has 4 deer whistles on her car. I never saw a one when I drove it. Proof it works? Maybe.

Lynn C.

6:27PM PST on Dec 7, 2011

Not using the horn is great advice. The idea is to avoid startling the animal and if they don't panic they'll usually go back into the woods or fields.